Lead Her Home
by Sarah August
Summary: What if Elijah returned in season 4 to help Elena with becoming a vampire? Follows season 4 as an AU. Elijah/Elena, Elena/Salvatore's.
1. Chapter 1

**Title: **Lead her Home

**Summary: **What if Elijah returned in 4x1 for Elena's transition to a vampire? Follows season 4 as an AU. Elijah/Elena, Elena/Salvatore's.

**Disclaimer: **I do not own The Vampire Diaries

**Author: **Sarah August

**Chapter 1**

In the distance she could hear everything. It sounded as if everything was getting closer. Buzz, buzz, buzz, the sounds were chasing her, becoming nearly deafening. Elena wanted to scream, to cry out, to make it all stop.

She was so tired. She was just so tired, she wanted everybody to leave her alone so she could sleep. But the sounds wouldn't stop. Elena felt her body jerk, and she could have sworn that she heard Stefan calling out to her. She wanted to reach him, but it was so hard to focus, to wake up.

Elena then felt his hands touch her and she wanted to scream at him to get away. It was almost instinctual. No one was allowed too close.

Her eyes fluttered open when she just stopped thinking about it, about all of it. She then gasped for air, realizing she wasn't breathing. How could she wake up when she wasn't breathing? Elena then quickly remembered why, and she cried out when Stefan tried to touch her again. She heard Damon too, but he was across the room. "Get away!" Elena screamed, when they both started to move upon her. "Just don't come near me," She swore aloud, panicked that they wouldn't listen to her. They never wanted to listen to her, no matter what she did.

"Elena, it's okay," Stefan started gently, trying to sit on the bed with her. When he did, she hissed, furious with him. Elena felt as if she hated him, and she couldn't think clearly enough to understand why.

"Don't get too close, Stefan," said Damon warningly, dripping of sarcasm."She knows what happened to her, don't you _Elena_?" He pressed, the cold look in his eyes bothering Elena. Damon was looking at her as if there was something wrong, something that was seriously wrong. And he was angry at Stefan, so angry, and she could feel it. It made her physically wince to feel such hatred at Stefan.

Elena suddenly stopped before answering the question. She reached for the teddy bear beside her on the bed instinctively as if it would protect her from what was to come next. But that was it though. No one protected her, nobody saved her from dying in that water. There had been so much water. She couldn't breath again, but then suddenly was fine when she felt her lungs starting to act on their own.

No one had saved her because she told Stefan to save Matt first. Elena felt horror-struck at the realization. How could she have done something so stupid like that? Immediately she felt guilty for feeling that way. Matt was her friend, someone she had known since babyhood. She should feel joy knowing he lived. But, she died, so she couldn't.

She died, but was somehow awake inside her bedroom, still alive. Damon and Stefan were both here, their faces mixed with a fury of emotions.

Oh, god, she had died. Somehow she was a vampire now. That had to be the reason that she was still here, because nobody saved her. Elena began to cry aloud. "I'm a vampire," She guessed aloud, getting her confirmation from the sad faces of Damon and Stefan.

"You still need to complete your transition," said Stefan softly, finding it too difficult to meet her hard gaze when he said that to her. He had no right to expect anything from her.

"We brought over blood," said Damon, trying to sound cheery. He stood up to leave when she simply stared at him, wanting to scream at him for daring to suggest her going through with it all.

It was her choice, not theirs. Damn them both! One of them did this to her, or both!

"How did this happen?" Elena demanded after a long silence. "I don't remember ever drinking any vampire blood _before I died_..." She looks to each brother accusingly, hating them both.

"Meredith Fell told us at the hospital that you had a visitor when you were admitted for your head injury. She was never inside your room when he was there, but he could have given it to you when you were still out of it," guessed Stefan, still speaking low and not looking at her.

"Who?" cried Elena, shouting, when Stefan continued to say nothing.

"Elijah," spoke Damon, his voice thick with hate. "We think Elijah slipped you his blood," He said, giving Elena the honesty she was insisting upon right now. The honesty that she needed to get through this.

His words stunned her into silence. Elijah? No, not him. How could he have done so to her? He knew that she never wanted this, everyone she knew did.

"We don't think he intentionally turned you, Elena," continued Stefan. "It was after his visit that you recovered completely. Meredith said your injuries should have killed you. You had bleeding on the brain."

Elena stared at him, her anger at Elijah dissolving right away. Of course, he wouldn't intentionally do this to her. He cared about her. He wasn't selfish like Damon. Elijah would never make her become this, whatever this was.

A vampire... how could she be a vampire? Ignoring both Stefan and Damon, Elena turned her back on them, allowing the tears to finally come.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

The dream took hold of her, and Elena could see Damon still sitting inside of her bedroom by the window. She neared him hesitantly, knowing that he was still so upset over what had happened with Katherine. "Cute pj's," He smirked, his easy going self now.

Elena looked down at her clothes in confusion, she was still fully dressed. She looked back at Damon, wanting him to go. "I'm tired, Damon," She told him.

Wait! Elena paused. Hadn't she said that before? A powerful sense of forgetting something, overcame her. Was this really a dream? Something told her that it wasn't. She looked back to Damon, he was before her now. He looked so, sad. Elena felt a pang to her heart. She hated hurting him, she really hated hurting him. And she didn't really know why it bothered her so much, only that she liked it more when they weren't fighting. Somehow, Damon had become a good friend along the way. He meant a lot to her.

"I need to tell you something," He said.

"Don't go there, Damon," Elena started automatically, but he hushed her with his fingers, surprising her.

"I love you, Elena," Damon finally spoke softly, sharing a part of himself, a very private part of himself with her. Elena could only stare back at him in awe. Her heart hammered in her chest at his words. He loved her and she believed it, and it felt so good to hear him say it. Gently he took her face in his hands and kissed the top of her head.

Wordlessly, she watched him, overcome with her feelings for him. They had been here before, she realized. "I don't deserve you," He confessed brokenheartedly to her. Elena felt as if she would cry at his confession. "But my brother does."

Elena blinked, no longer caught up in the intensity of the moment. Of course, Stefan. It was always going to be Stefan that was there between them. It hurt knowing that, Elena realized. More than she ever had been willing to admit to herself.

"I wish you could remember this, but you can't," Damon then told her sadly, sounding ever so lonely. Elena wanted to reach out to him, to tell him that she would always care about him. That his confession had been so beautiful, but it couldn't change things. She was Stefan's girlfriend still in her heart. No matter how much she might have grown to care about Damon, it didn't change her feelings for Stefan.

"Damon," Elena began, but blinked. She then woke up in her bed, realizing she had just recalled being compelled by Damon.

The elder Salvatore had told her that he had loved her, and it had touched her so much to know that Damon had allowed himself to care about her that much. So badly then, Elena remembered wanting to be able to return his feelings. She had felt so guilty for still loving Stefan when it was so obvious that Damon was so deeply in love with her. So much she wanted to return his feelings then.

But then it hit Elena as she stood up from her bed, getting ready for the day. What was stopping her from returning those feelings now?

Before she had died she picked Stefan over Damon, but she had paid for that decision with her life. Elena knew it was so unfair to hold it against Stefan for not saving her, but she found herself feeling so angry with him anyway. Would it be so wrong to want to move on now? Would he understand why she couldn't be with anyone right now? Elena sighed, pulling on a blue t-shirt. Her heart felt so heavy, but she knew what she had to do.

She couldn't stay with Stefan now. At least not until she figured out what she wanted. Elena had really strong feelings for Damon, and she couldn't hide them anymore because she didn't want too.

Elena went down stairs, staring at the blood bags the Salvatore's had left on the kitchen table. She approached them warily, but wanting to do this on her own terms, without anyone badgering her into it.

Now would be a good time as any to do this. No one was here to watch her or to judge her.

Quickly, Elena went up to the pile of blood bags and drank and drank.

Time seemed to stand still as she enjoyed the delicious blood. She hungered for it so much. Elena finally stopped when they were all finished, all six, and then the door bell rang to the front door.

Laughing, feeling high from the taste of the blood, she happily moved through the house, her cares all gone. The door opened when she reached for it, the act itself she found amazing as she nearly fell into the arms of the person on the other side. They caught her, holding her up.

Elena took in their scent and she felt overwhelmed, falling against their chest. She put her arms around him for good measure, sniffing him with loud pleasure. "You smell so amazing," Elena purred into his ear. "I had no idea." She then laughed, hugging him to her, taking a moment to taste his ear lobe, making him gasp in surprise.

Gently, with great difficulty, he pulled back, holding her at arms length. The blood still stained her face and he reached out, taking a taste with a finger. Finally, after taking a long moment to stare back at her with a heated gaze of his own, he spoke. "Well, Elena, I see that you decided to transition," Elijah said, smirking slightly at the sight of an obviously aroused, newborn vampire in his embrace.

Elena laughed at that, still slightly unaware that it was Elijah here with her. She fell back into his embrace, and he held her carefully. "I want more," She whispered like a devilish confession into his ear.

"You always will," He promised softly in response. Elijah then lifted the new vampire into his arms, carrying her up the stairs.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

Jeremy Gilbert was the first to rise the next morning of his household, getting dressed and heading down the stairs within minutes. Elijah had not been prepared for the sounds that came with humans getting up for the day. He had awakened in the chair inside the living room he was seated in to the sounds of Jeremy singing in the shower. It briefly made Elijah wonder what all the boy knew about what had befallen his sister in the past 24 hours.

The boy moved his way upon arriving down the stairs, and he jumped, startled upon seeing the original vampire inside of his home. "Well," He began, still shaken slightly. "I really wasn't expecting to see you here. It's always... one of them," said the boy, trying to size up the original.

Elijah knew who he was referring too. The Salvatore brothers were never usually far away from Elena. Given her current state, he'd been rather stunned to find her alone as he did. "I suspect that you know what has happened to Elena then," Elijah started gently, trying to get a handle on what all the boy knew.

"Yeah," Jeremy admitted, his voice suddenly broken up from emotion. "Damon explained it. She never survived the car accident. It was the vampire blood in her system that brought her back."

Elijah blinked at that. He knew what was the cause of that car accident. His sister had confessed everything when confronted on where she had vanished off too. The school teacher, the Gilbert's guardian, had died too, allowing Rebekah to accomplish her vicious goal. "Jeremy, I cannot begin too..."

"Then don't," said the Gilbert boy, cutting him off, surprising Elijah. "If you never gave her your blood, my sister would be dead right now. I would have no one left... to me, you saved her, Elijah. Just please, stick around for awhile though. She might need you to get her through all this."

"She has the Salvatore's..."

"They mean well," continued Jeremy softly, thoughtfully. "But they've never really been a big help to my sister. It's because of them that she gets into things like this. She needs someone who's going to help her without wanting anything in return."

Elijah nodded silently, trying to mask his shame at what Rebekah had done. Apparently the younger Gilbert did not hold him responsible for his sisters actions. And he knew what the boy was trying to say about the Salvatore's. It was no secret that both wanted Elena for themselves. Before all this happened, Damon and Stefan both had been expecting Elena to choose between them. But then she died after making her choice.

He recalled their final conversation before her death over the phone. Even then, hearing how distraught she was over her decision, Elijah knew she had made the choice without being properly ready to do so. She had not shared who she had decided upon, but Elijah could hear the pain in her voice, knowing it wasn't a decision born of free will. The elder Salvatore had pushed her to make a choice before she had been ready too. Would she be regretful of her decision now? Elijah suspected she would be.

"I will be here for Elena, Jeremy. You have my word," He said softly, and Jeremy seemed happy to hear it.

The boy then continued to get ready for school when he realized that Elijah wasn't going anywhere. Elena would have the help she sorely needed.

* * *

The service they had for Rick had been short and to the point, and put together by Damon, which made Elena see the Salvatore in a different light. Despite all the bravado, and even despite the times had had killed Rick, somehow Damon Salvatore had grown incredibly fond of Alaric Saltzman. The tears in his eyes, and the way he held back from everyone during the service, told Elena everything she needed to know.

Damon Salvatore greatly missed his friend and he always would until the day he died. Elena wanted to reach out to Damon, to tell him it was alright to care, but she decided to leave such comforting to Stefan.

It wasn't her place to be there for Damon like that, not when he felt for her the way he did. Stefan came up to her in the cemetery, hugging her and offering her a ride home. Elena gently refused, explaining that she would ride with Jeremy, and Elijah who was coming for them.

Stefan had been taken aback to hear that Elijah was still here in Mystic Falls, and even more so when Elena explained he was staying at the house until it was certain she was going to be alright. Elena never said what she had been thinking when she seen this news upset Stefan. Elijah was stepping in and taking care of her where Stefan had left her to her own devices, and alone in the house with her still human brother. All because he had a hard time dealing with her now that she had become a vampire.

The thought made her eyes sting, but it was true. Stefan regarded her with new reservation now, uncertain of how to get close to her. It left Elena in a world of confusion as she had to ask herself how long their reunion would last given her boyfriend couldn't even bare to be alone with her anymore.

Arriving home, Elena no longer felt embarrassed by the events from the day before, where she had greeted Elijah at her front door, with an unabashed smile and a wonton attitude with blood smeared to her face. He treated her as if nothing out of the ordinary had happened between them. Although Elena could take notice of the slight scar that hadn't quite healed yet on his ear lobe where she had bit him. It made her wonder if she had taken some ear with her bite as well. Thinking about it had made her flush bright red and Elijah continued to drive as if Elena hadn't been staring at him for the last five minutes.

* * *

Stefan arrived to pick her up the next day for school. Jeremy wanted to go and meet April Young, a new transfer to Mystic Falls High School. April was a sixteen year old girl from their neighbourhood that Aunt Jenna had babysat while in her senior year of high school. April had spent most of her life attending schools out of town, not going to school with Jeremy and Elena, until most recently.

Her mother had recently died, making April's father decide to bring his daughter closer to home. It gave her and Jeremy something to find common ground over and a friendship was developing there. Elena hoped it was a lasting one. Her brother had few close friends. And he hadn't had a girlfriend since Bonnie had broken up with him. The break up had hit Jeremy hard, although he'd never say it.

School had passed awkwardly between herself and Stefan. They were still together, but things were not the same between them. Elena felt torn over what she wanted to do about their relationship. When he kissed her or touched her, her feelings were still there for him. But she still wasn't certain if this was something she really wanted anymore.

Stefan walked her home, and they were holding hands. It seemed the same between them, but it wasn't. The connection was slipping away from them. Stefan had stopped asking about Elijah staying at the house, and Elena was grateful for it. Besides, Jeremy didn't seem to mind Elijah staying with them either. He knew that she needed help to get through all of this. Elena was happy that her brother was trying to be as understanding as possible.

They stood outside her front door on the large porch outside her house. They looked at each other a long moment. "I know this is hard, Elena," Stefan said softly, holding her hand. "I know that things have become different for us. Do you want to end things, until you have the chance to adjust to all of this?"

Elena stared into those warm, familiar eyes, feeling her heart break at the very thought of losing Stefan. They had just got each other back, and now everything had changed for them. Her feelings were all over the place. There were moments she hated him and loved him, all at once, and there were moments where she wondered how could she be with him when she honestly didn't know what she wanted anymore.

"I don't want to lose this, Stefan," Elena finally confessed, speaking from her heart. "I don't want to lose us, but now that I've become this... this new thing... I have never been more confused in my entire life. I love you, and that hasn't changed, but... I still... I still have feelings for Damon..."

Stefan gave her a pained gaze and looked away from her. "So you still don't know what you want..." He finished for her, still not looking at her.

Elena shook slightly, her emotions getting the best of her. It was more than just her feelings for Damon that made her want to back off of their relationship. It was everything that made her want to just stop and forget the pain she was in from all the new changes in her life. She felt as if everything was falling apart and there was no saving her from it. "It's more than just Damon, Stefan. I don't know who I am anymore..." She finished in a panicked whisper.

She wanted to tell him more. About the way she jumped into her transition impulsively, and the rather wild way she greeted the vampire who was responsible for her new life at her front door. But Elena found herself being unable to tell him any of it. There was no way he would understand without judging her and that was simply the last thing she needed right now. Stefan gently took her face in his hands and kissed her. "It will get better, Elena," He promised her. "You're going to be alright."

Stefan the quickly moved to leave and she felt terrified that he may never come back. "What does this mean for us, Stefan?" She asked desperately, wanting him to refuse to break up with her, although that is what she honestly wanted right now.

He paused, looking back at her, tears falling down his cheeks too. "How about it means that we don't have to decide that right now," Stefan offered kindly, knowing her heartbreak matched his own.

"I don't want to hurt you," Elena told him tearfully.

"You see," began Stefan, turning to face her again while walking away. "That's one of the good parts of being a vampire, Elena. You literally have all the time in the world to decide what you want."

She chuckled and Stefan matched her, before walking away into the afternoon. Things were over between them right now, but that was the beauty of living forever. Things were over, but if she decided she wanted to change her mind, Stefan would be there, waiting.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

Elena went inside the house, sensing that Elijah was here, but he was upstairs, newly settled into her parents old bedroom. Elena hadn't been surprised by the originals choice of bedrooms. It was either her parents old room, or Alaric's or Jenna's. Either way, a spare bedroom in this house had been previously occupied by someone who had died in a really terrible way.

Even her own. Elena thought bitterly for a moment. Jeremy wasn't home, so Elena assumed that her brother was out with April. Elena decided to head upstairs to see if Elijah would join her for a meal. Although she no longer needed to eat food, Elena found herself keeping up the habit still so her brother wouldn't have to eat alone. Plus, blood was starting to upset her stomach. She hadn't yet found the right type that seemed to please her new appetite.

Elena just made her way to the top of the staircase when she felt herself heave and she nearly fell to the floor at the violence of it. Blood was now everywhere, on her clothes, the floor and the near by wall. It happened again, and this time Elena lost her balance, falling to the floor as all the blood she had before going to school brought itself back up.

Elena tried to call out for Elijah for help, but she suddenly felt dizzy and then passed out.

* * *

"You were certainly starting to have us worried there, Elena," said a familiar voice. Elena opened her eyes to see that she was now inside her bedroom. Her clothes were now changed into a long nightgown, and she was tucked in comfortably to her bed. Elijah seen her hesitation upon realizing she had been changed into different clothing and they were still alone in the house. "No reason to be concerned about my honour, Elena," Elijah told her with a grin. "It remains in tact. I called your friend, Caroline, to come and help us earlier. "

Elena flushed brightly at that. "I'm not worried, Elijah. You're the most noble vampire I have ever met." They then shared a look before both smiling at each other again.

"How long have you been bringing up blood, Elena?" Elijah then asked softly, changing the subject. He was now watching her with great concern.

"This was the first time, but I've been feeling sick since I was... since I completed the transition."

"So you are starving then?" asked Elijah, holding her gaze steadily. Elena swallowed hard, suddenly feeling the intensity of her hunger. "Yes," She admitted quietly, then looking away, trying to shut out how suddenly she felt so aware of Elijah's presence inside her bedroom. He sat down on the bed beside her and Elena had to fight the urge to flee the room. She wasn't bothered by his sudden nearness and then again, she was, all at once. Elena blinked when she felt her eyes starting to discolour. "Sorry," She mumbled softly, trying to look away so he wouldn't see her reaction to him.

She gasped when she felt his hands suddenly pulling her own away from her face. "Elena," He chimed lightly. "You're not hiding anything I haven't seen before," He told her quietly.

It caused her to smile slightly knowing he was trying to make her comfortable with all of this. "You mean you... _vamp out_?" Elena prodded, fighting a smirk while picturing Elijah giving away to his more basic instincts. It was so hard to picture it for some reason.

Elijah laughed at the term she used, and Elena couldn't help notice how incredibly beautiful the man before her was. He should really smile more often. Her realization made her stare at him a little longer than she really should have. "Yes," Elijah finally said, his eyes still dancing at this new Elena before him. "I have, before, you know. I no longer give into my more basic nature as much as I used too, but one cannot be a member of my family, and not lose control on more than one occasion. You will learn the self control that you require, Elena. However, it will take time. Now, back to getting you something to eat. I don't believe the food you have down stairs is going to be of assistance today to us."

Elijah stood up, and then ripped the blankets off of her and then proceeded to help her out of bed. "Wow, no rest for the wicked, huh?" She chuckled softly, allowing Elijah to help her stand up.

"Get dressed," He told her firmly. "We are going out. I will wait down stairs for you."

"But," She started, remembering the human who lived here too. "What about Jeremy?"

"I have asked Mister Gilbert to join your friend _Matt_ for tonight's events," Elijah replied swiftly. "He will return after school hours tomorrow evening."

"Where are we going?" asked Elena curiously, happy that Elijah had thought about Jeremy. She made a grab for some clothing from a near by dresser and Elijah moved to leave.

"I am going to teach you how to hunt, Elena," He said, as matter of fact.

She winced slightly, wondering what he meant by _hunt_.

Elijah left her alone to change and then they were off. Elena couldn't deny that she felt more confident now about her self, ever since Elijah had turned up on her door step again.

Perhaps, she could do this.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

The forest was quiet in the late evening hour, and the breeze made her hair dance slightly. Elena could smell the small creatures of the forest that were close by. In the distance, she could see a rabbit hurry by and it caused her to jump slightly, sending her too close to Elijah. Their shoulders bumped and it made her laugh nervously when he put out a hand to her back to steady her. "You're alright, Elena," He told her with a warm smile. "Come," He then encouraged her.

Elijah vanished when she dared to blink, and it took her seconds to follow after him and track his path. He hadn't gone far. Elijah was smirking at her when she arrived. "Took you long enough," He teased her.

Elena flushed brightly, embarrassed. "I'm not sure how... how you... _you know_..." Elena trailed off with a chuckle. "Not very well, anyway. I tried going really fast into the kitchen the other day and I nearly smacked into a wall."

Elijah smiled at her, enjoying their conversation as much as she was. Elena was pleased to notice. "It gets easier, Elena. You just move without really thinking about it..." Elijah said before demonstrating. He moved to the other side of Elena without any warning, causing Elena to be knocked off balance slightly. Again, he caught her before she fell. Elena gratefully held his arm while regaining her balance, trying to ignore the fluttering feeling in her stomach that happened at his touch.

Elijah stood back a bit from her as if listening for something. "Ah, I was right, Elena. Are you about ready to get something to eat?" He then said, giving her a challenging gaze.

"What are we going for?" asked Elena rather regretfully, picturing the diet that Stefan had encouraged her to try. She honestly didn't want to chase cute little forest creatures, but it would beat risking killing someone. She looked around them, and Elijah gently took hold of her right arm. "Not like that, Elena. You're going to need something a little bigger than a rabbit I suspect. Plus, I have never been a fan of the animal diet myself. I believe if you don't intend to consume the entire animal, what right do we have to bring such harm upon them?"|

Elena blinked, never thinking like that before. "I'm actually glad to hear you say that, Elijah. Stefan wanted me to use the animal diet, but I couldn't picture taking the blood from..."

"Bambi?" teased Elijah, causing Elena to chuckle. "Exactly," She admitted.

"I used to be quite the game hunter in my youth, but when my family and I transitioned into vampires, I could no longer bring myself to do it. So I learned how to take blood from humans, but restraint never came easy for me. It took years to master it. But sometimes," Elijah said, and stopped walking to look at Elena. "It is still quite the challenge."

Elena sighed, worriedly so. "I don't think I'll be able to do this sometimes, Elijah. I know that I have to try, because I can't leave Jeremy alone. But I'm so..."

"Tired?" He offered kindly. "I believe Jeremy understands that this will be a process for you, Elena. To him, you will always be simply his sister, as a human or as a vampire. This, you're doing what you can to learn how to survive. You can do all of this Elena without killing or really hurting anyone. I will help you do this."

Elena smiled at his touch again to her arm. It was more comforting than she could possibly say to have his support. "Thank you," She spoke softly, fighting back tears.

"Now, again, are you ready to eat?" Elijah continued, speaking lightly, trying to ease her frustration at all of this.

"Eat what?" She laughed softly. "If we're not going after_ animals_..." Elena trailed off, realizing the stupidity of her question. They were here to chase_ humans_. She could hear them now, close by. There was music, and loads of kids, laughing, partying.

"You need to learn this, Elena," said Elijah upon noticing her hesitance. "After you compel them, you take what you need and then you stop. It becomes easier to do with time."

"What if I can't stop?" countered Elena fearfully.

"That's why I'm here," replied Elijah calmly. "I'll help you stop in time, Elena. You are taking what you need to take, nothing more."

Elena nodded in agreement. She needed to do this, there was no choice here anymore. She needed blood in order to live and blood from a bag was not doing the job she needed it too. "What do I need to do?"

"Go into the crowd, you'll blend in," Elijah began, standing behind her while pointing out two people to her. She flushed slightly, again having trouble with his closeness. "I do suggest going for the small lad to the left of the blond. Convince him to move away from the crowd with you, compel him if you need too. Ensure no one can see you before you strike."

Elena sensed Elijah move behind her and before she could turn her head to look, he put a hand to her neck, using careful fingers to locate a vain. She gasped when he touched her there, and she looked to him heatedly. He watched her intensely for a moment before continuing to speak. "Extend your teeth, biting right here," Elijah then put a hand to her waist, drawing her backside to his chest, before demonstrating, using his own vampire teeth to gently graze her olive skin there. Elena jumped at the contact, fighting the urge to bite him back, but for other reasons than Elijah was demonstrating for. Elijah did not break the skin, greatly disappointing her. Where were these feelings coming from? She wondered. Elena had always thought Elijah to be attractive, but she had never felt like this before around him.

It was confusing her and exciting her, but she fought to regain her focus. Perhaps his only intention really was to teach her and she would risk ruining a very good friendship should she let him know of her feelings.

With the disruption to her relationship with Stefan, she honestly needed this, she needed him to be here for her.

Finally, he released her, but not before sniffing her hair. She gave a shaky breath before following him closer to the party near by. Elena honestly had no idea what to think of Elijah at this moment. As they walked together in the woods she realized that this evening so far was one she wouldn't soon forget.

* * *

"Hi, want to come party with me," said Elena, approaching the teen that Elijah had suggested to her. Immediately Elena could understand his choice. The boy before her seemed to fall apart at her approach and instinctively Elena knew that he'd do whatever she wanted him too. "Sure," The teen said nervously.

Elena flashed her best seductive smile and lead the teen away from the others and into the woods. When they were about one hundred feet away, Elena gently pushed the boy towards a tree and then pressed herself into him. He was likely sixteen or seventeen, and looked fresh faced. He reminded her briefly of a young Matt Donovan, and Elena felt a slight pang of remorse for what she was about to do.

Quickly, she pushed those feelings away and pushed forward. The hunger was becoming too much, she needed to do this. _"You won't remember any of this. You're going to leave the party and go home,"_ Elena told the teen, hoping she had compelled him correctly. When he said nothing, Elena buried her face in his neck, and then sank her new teeth home. When he cried out, it made her hesitate, but only once, and Elena locked him into a tight hold as she took his rich blood.

"Elena," said a familiar voice, calling her back from the exquisite blood. Soon she felt two strong hands grab her from behind, pulling her off of her meal. Elena suddenly felt rabid with rage and she hissed at the stronger vampire who wouldn't let her reclaim her meal. Soon the rage cooled when it became clear the stronger vampire was not about to release her from his grasp. Elena blinked, horrified, upon seeing Elijah looking back at her, still crushing her to his chest so she couldn't move. "That's much better," He whispered softly, taking the time to admire her vampire features before they returned to her own. He had traced the outline of her face with his fingers, bringing her back to reality. Elena looked down slightly, embarrassed. He then wiped her mouth for her, using something from his pockets. Only then did he release her, making Elena feel a slight pang of regret.

"Thank you," She told him. "I really didn't think I could stop."

"You'll get through this, Elena," Elijah offered kindly. "You did much better than I did. It took two of my brothers to pull me off of my first human, and by then, the woman was dead."

Elena locked gazes with the original vampire again and Elijah was the first to break the moment. "Come, we'll get you home. After all of this, you should rest some."

"Do you think he'll get home okay?" asked Elena, talking about her victim.

"He's likely already there, Elena," Elijah replied gently as they walked along. "He won't remember you, or any of this."

Elena soon froze, sensing another vampire close by. "Who is it?" asked Elijah, sensing it too.

"I think it's Damon," Elena said.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

"Elena, would you like me to meet you back at the house?" Elijah offered nicely, seeing the concerned look upon her face.

She did not appear to be happy at the prospect of speaking with Damon, yet Elijah knew they managed to maintain a friendship, perhaps more. It was obvious that the elder Salvatore had feelings for Elena, and now that Stefan seemed to be out of the picture, Damon was most likely hoping to change their relationship to something more romantic. He glanced back to Damon. The vampire did not seem to appreciate his presence with Elena tonight.

"I think that might be for the best, Elijah," said Elena softly, looking uncomfortable. "Again, thank you for tonight."

Elijah nodded and quietly left her there with Damon, vanishing into the night.

"What are you doing out here, Damon?" Elena asked uneasily. She sensed a fight was coming and she did not look forward to it. It had been a difficult few days, and the break up with Stefan and tonight's events had left her feeling overwhelmed. She simply just wanted to go home.

"I followed you when I seen you going through down town with _Elijah_," replied Damon, sounding annoyed. "Whats with that, huh? I thought my little brother had offered to teach you _the way of the vampire_," finished Damon with a smirk.

"Damon, it's more complicated now. Stefan and I, we broke things off, for now," confessed Elena softly. "And Elijah has been a really big help to me. He's offered to stay in town, until I'm adjusted. He's staying with us at the house."

"What?" Damon seemed horrified at what she had said. Elena frowned at him. "Elena, are you crazy? That guy has tried to kill you, more than once. You can't possibly trust him!"

"Yet he just saved my life, remember?" Elena countered. "I would be dead right now, if Elijah never gave me his blood."

"You are dead, Elena," Damon shot back. "You're a vampire!"

"Damon, I'm really tired and I don't want to do this anymore," snapped Elena, having enough. "Elijah is a guest in my house, not yours, so you have no say who lives there with me."

"Lives?" Damon shouted, not letting it go. "God, Elena, you're not sired to him, are you?"

"What?" Elena looked at Damon as if he'd grown a second head. "Of course I'm not. Damon, you're acting like a complete idiot."

"I am, huh?" Damon continued hotly. "Tell him to leave Elena. I can show you how to be a vampire."

"No," snapped Elena, furious now. "You're not just stepping into my life at this point, telling me what to do. You and Stefan both have been no help to me so far, so why would I ask him to leave?"

Damon paused for a moment as if smelling her from his short distance away. "What are you doing?" She hissed.

"You're starving, aren't you?" Damon challenged suddenly, his eyes wide and spiteful. "You fed, but you're not satisfied, are you?" He came closer and Elena moved out of his reach, but he caught her, holding her in place as he moved all so closer. She shivered at his closeness, hating that he was playing with her emotions like this.

Slowly, he moved to kiss her and Elena moved her head and he brushed her cheek with his full lips. "Why fight this, Elena?" Damon whispered softly, touching her cheek, taking pleasure at her obvious attraction for him. "I know about you and Stefan. If you would just be honest, you'd know why that really happened."

Elena hated Damon in that moment, suggesting he was the reason why Stefan and she really broke up. If Elena wanted to be honest with herself, Damon was part of the reason why. "I do have feelings for you, Damon," said Elena softly, finding it too difficult to push him away. He moved to kiss her and this time she didn't hold back. Elena gave into the kiss, but thoughts of Elijah consumed her, causing her to break away from Damon.

"Damon, I'm sorry, but I can't do this," Elena told him pleadingly. She then vanished into the night, following Elijah home, using her vampire speed so Damon had no time to say anything else.

* * *

Elena burst through the front door of her house, making Elijah look up from his seat inside the living room. He'd been reading a book, and now was standing up, looking at her. "It went that well, huh?" He smirked, but then watched her, observing her, upon seeing how upset Elena really was right now.

"He drives me so crazy!" She raged, her new features again showing in her face. "He never respects anything that I want, he always tries to tell me what to do..."

"Damon does have his own way about things," Elijah agreed calmly, still observing her carefully. "But he truly does care about you, Elena. I do believe that!"

"And you..." She began, turning her rage to him, the ever calm vampire. "You drive me crazy too!" Elena spat, before him now, her speed knocking over a lamp in the process.

"Oh, do I now?" Elijah spoke softly, challengingly. He was obviously very much enjoying this new side to her. He allowed her to knock him off of his feet at her close approach, using her hands to shove his chest. Elijah gazed up at the new vampire, curious at what she was going to do next.

"How can you be so calm with all of this?" Elena insisted, near tears. "It drives me insane that none of this seems to be affecting you at all."

Elijah reached out to her, lightly cupping the side of her face with his fingers. "Oh, I assure you, lovely Elena," He admitted, his voice husky. "I am very much affected by the new changes you are experiencing."

Elena let out a growl at his touch, and clutched his hand in hers on instinct. His scent overwhelmed her senses, and her teeth extended as she grazed the veins upon his strong wrist, trying to do what he had done to her neck earlier. "I want to taste you," She soon moaned, letting him caress the skin of her own wrist.

"Elena, you're most welcome too," Elijah spoke, his voice fighting for control. "However, you must know, that blood sharing with another vampire..." He then gasped when she nipped him slightly, licking the small amount of blood she drew. He groaned aloud while watching her. "It's the equivalent of human intimacy..."

Elena drew away from him at his admittance, but only for a moment. She seemed to consider something before lowering herself down upon him while he remained seated in the chair. The move was most unexpected, and when she started moving her hips and raised his wrist to her lips, Elijah thought he was about to be undone by her movements, and he cried out when she bit down on his skin. She soon began to rock back and forth while she took his blood down, caught up in her own pleasure. Elena soon slumped against his chest, needing more contact, needing him.

He felt his own release when she finally released his wrist. The sensation had been unexpected, causing him to clutch down on her hips with his hands, holding her in place. Elena gasped in surprise upon feeling his hands and she came down from her own release, now fully aware of what they had just done together. She met his eyes, a new fear he'd never seen before within hers. A fear of the unknown, given they had crossed new lines in their relationship. She then shot off his lap in a blur. "I'm so sorry," She whimpered, barely keeping it together.

Elijah thought she looked like a cornered lion and he wondered if it would be wise of him to get up from the chair to comfort her. He had seen what strength new vampires could possess when pushed too far emotionally. "Elena," He began gently, startling her from the dark place she had gone too inside her mind. "It is I who owe you the apology. I should have realized... I should have stopped it from happening." Elijah rose slowly from the chair trying to get closer to her. His suit jacket was long removed, but suddenly everything felt to be too much. He could feel her emotions as if they were his own.

She was confused about being a vampire, she was confused about her feelings for Damon and she seemed overwhelmed with whatever the connection was between the two of them. "I don't know what to do with this, Elijah," Elena stammered near tears. "I have never felt this out of control before."

Elijah finally reached her and took her hands in his. "It's alright to feel those things, Elena. Becoming like we are now, it is very much like being reborn into something more than human. It's overwhelming and devastating to feel these new things. But do hold on. It does get better than this, I promise you."

"I'm going to hold you to that," said Elena, letting the tears come and falling into his comforting embrace. He held her for hours it seemed before both finally agreed to go to bed for the night.

* * *

Elena woke the next morning to discover Elijah was gone. Jeremy said he had gone to visit his family, but would return this evening. Jeremy then left early for school, explaining he'd agreed to meet April to talk about homework. Elena let her brother go without asking him anything further, simply happy that Jeremy had something new and good going for him it seamed.

She went into the kitchen to warm some blood and she stopped upon seeing that Stefan was inside her kitchen busying himself by making her breakfast. "Hi," Elena stammered awkwardly. Her ex-boyfriend was the very last person she expected to see right then.

"Pancakes and blood in a mug," He offered, trying to make light of the recent seriousness of their relationship. Elena smiled, suddenly feeling grateful to Stefan. It had only been a few days, but she had already missed him. Most of all though, She missed their friendship.

"Sounds good," Elena grinned back.

"I hope this is..." He trailed off. "It's okay, Stefan," Elena said, cutting him off. "I missed this, with you."

"Elijah let me in an hour ago. He said you were having trouble keeping blood down, but you were doing better."

Elena sat down at the table with Stefan. "Yeah, he's really been a big help to me. He's going to stay until I'm doing alright."

Instinctively Elena wanted to tell him about her kiss with Damon and then the out-of-the-blue make-out session she had with Elijah. She felt as if she had cheated on Stefan, being on the receiving end of his kindness now. And she had kissed his own brother no less. The guilt continued with Stefan going on about how well he thought she was doing and he was happy that she was getting good support from Elijah.

Finally, having enough, Elena had to tell Stefan something about what she had done. She no longer deserved his kindness like this. "Stefan, I blood shared with Elijah..." She blurted out, cutting him off. "And I kissed Damon," She told him, hating the crushed look that befell his handsome face.

"Oh," He finally spoke. His tone unnerved her. He sounded so completely crushed. Elena had really hurt Stefan and she then realized that their relationship was never going to be the same again. "Do they... do they know about each other?" Stefan finally said. It was a blow to Elena's stomach.

"I don't know what that kiss with Damon meant, Stefan. I really don't," Elena told him, wanting to be honest. "But Elijah..."

"Are you sired to him... did he make you..."

The questions caught Elena off her guard. "No," Elena answered softly. "He never made me, Stefan. If anything, I pushed him into it. He told me what it was, but I still wanted it..."

Stefan looked away, a pained look to his face. "Do you want to be with one of them?" He finally asked, killing the silence between them.

"I really don't know what I want," she admitted, hating herself now. "I'm so sorry, Stefan. The last thing I ever wanted to do was hurt you, but I don't want to lie to you."

Stefan then again surprised her, stealing a heated kiss, challenging her feelings for the other two vampires. He released her first, touching her face softly. "Then I will wait to hear what you want, Elena. But know that what I want is to be with you."

She nodded only in reply, not trusting herself to say anything right now. Obviously, she still had feelings for Stefan too. Which made everything suddenly much more difficult. "I'm going to go," Stefan then spoke, getting up. Elena said nothing as he went, not wanting to let her feelings overwhelm her again.

She then readied herself for school, hoping to resolve some things about her life, soon.


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

"Hey, Elena, have you seen April?" asked Jeremy, hurrying up to his sister who was seated on the bleachers at the football field during lunch hour.

"No," said Elena, surprised that her brothers friend was missing. "Was she here today?" asked Elena, getting up to her feet and putting her journal inside her book bag.

"Yeah, she was this morning, but she got a call from her dad and I haven't seen her since then," replied Jeremy uneasily.

"Maybe she had to go home for some reason?" offered Elena kindly. "I wouldn't worry about it too much."

Elena started walking with Jeremy towards the school. "Hey, so whats with you and Stefan? I haven't seen you two together lately."

Elena frowned at that. She really didn't want to talk about Stefan. It lead to reminders about how things had fallen apart between them. "We stopped seeing each other," replied Elena hesitantly. "Things have been really different since I became a vampire, and I think that's brought us apart."

"Oh, I'm sorry," said Jeremy quickly. He then hesitated, but decided to ask his next question. "So whats with you and Elijah?" He then asked lightly. "You two seem to be getting closer." He then added teasingly.

Elena stared at her brother, wondering if he possibly knew about her coming close to sleeping with Elijah the previous night. "He's helping me, Jer. That's it."

Her brother looked at her a moment, then laughed softly. Elena lightly punched her brother in the ribs, laughing too. They then continued to walk inside the school together.

* * *

Elena arrived home after school knowing that Jeremy wouldn't be joining them this evening. He told Elena at the end of the day that he was going to go check on April and see why she wasn't in school for the rest of the day. Elena hesitated upon seeing that Damon Salvatore was waiting for her on her porch swing. "I thought you'd never get here," Damon announced loudly.

"Damon, what do you want?" asked Elena softly, slowly going up the steps towards the vampire.

She set her book bag down knowing this likely wasn't going to be a nice conversation. Damon, of course, would be here to learn why she kissed him back. Elena wasn't sure if she wanted to confess why yet. Damon always meant well when it came to herself, but he was also an incredibly selfish person. And he didn't know when to finally back off.

"We kissed," Damon said, getting directly to the point. "Are you finally going to admit that there's something between us, Elena?"

Elena sighed tiredly, not wanting to hurt Damon, yet her patience was very thin right now. "Damon, I'm not ready to do this. Can we talk maybe tomorrow?"

"Look, Elena," Damon pressed on. "You know that I love you, and you obviously feel something for me. Why keep pushing it away, why keep pushing me away?"

Elena's eyes filled with tears, and she couldn't help but think back to Stefan and that kiss.

"Oh, I get it!" said Damon. "There's someone else. There's always someone else..." Damon broke off viciously.

"Damon, I care about you," Elena argued swiftly back. "But I'm not ready to be with someone else yet. I can't give you what you want, I'm sorry."

Damon took his turn to sigh, he looked away bitterly and then back at her. "I can't keep doing this, Elena. You let me believe there's a chance, and then you take it all back, all for someone who doesn't want you anymore."

Elena shook with emotion, tears falling down her face. "Damon, please..."

"No, Elena," Damon said, stepping before her. "You either admit it right now that there's a part of you that feels something for me, or I'm done."

"I do have feelings for you Damon, but..."

He then smothered her words with a scorching kiss. Damon then quickly let her go. "If it's Elijah you want, Stefan you want, just be sure to remember Elena that you do want me too, no matter how much you try to deny it. If you ever come to your senses and realize that you can't possibly have anything in common with Elijah, and Stefan was lost as an option the moment he went back on human blood, I'll be waiting."

Elena sighed. "That's just it, huh, Damon? You're the answer to all of my problems? I do care about you, and maybe we do have the chance for something else, but I have a world of problems to deal with right now, and you can only think about yourself. What does that really say about your feelings for me?" Elena shot back viciously. Elena then turned and went inside the house.

She could hear Elijah sitting inside the living room, turning pages of a book, trying to ignore the fact that he likely had just heard everything Damon and herself had said to each other. Elena suddenly felt driven mad by her emotions. She had to get out. Hurriedly she went up to Elijah inside the living room, her jacket still on. "Do you feel like going out to hunt with me?" Elena asked with hesitation, under his steady gaze. Elijah immediately put the book down, seeing that she needed him to do this with her.

"I would like that," Elijah replied simply, trying not to acknowledge how upset Elena seemed to be. She seemed to need for him to pretend that nothing was wrong. He rose and grabbed his coat that was hanging up by the Gilbert's front door. He then followed Elena wordlessly out the door.

* * *

She lead them to the forest again, using her new senses to discover her pray. Beyond the forest, one could hear humans speaking to each other. Elijah then heard Elena making a sound that was between a snarl and a hiss. She was going to make one fierce vampire, one day soon. Elijah felt something between pride and a sense of loss when he thought of Elena like that. She was hovering between the life of a vampire and her former self. The vampire was winning the battle so far.

She then moved, using her vampire speed to catch up with the humans. Elijah moved swiftly, following her, afraid to allow her to do this alone. Elena simply wasn't ready yet.

They could now see the humans beyond the woods. They were talking in a clearing. One was the local Pastor Young, the other was a tall, dark skinned man. He was someone that was new to Mystic Falls. Elijah used his eyes to focus on the strangers face, and then he gasped in surprise upon realizing he knew this man. It had been ten years since he had last met him. It had been during a trip to Chicago. The man had tried to kill him and would have succeeded if he had been the average kind of vampire.

Before Elijah could regain his barrings, Elena was on the move, using her speed to knock the men over, and she then pounced on the pastor first. "Elena!" Elijah shouted, trying to get her attention, rushing after her. Elena dove her teeth home, ignoring his call, taking the blood she craved, blindly so. She failed to see the other man regain his feet and reach for the stake the man held in his pocket. The man was then upon Elena from behind and she failed to see what the man was about to do. He was going to kill her.

Elijah arrived just in time, before the stake pierced her back side, knocking the man flying backwards, using brute strength. Elijah then in one move, ripped Elena away from the pastor and vanished into the night with her. It wasn't until morning that Elijah realized that he had recognized the markings that the man bore on his dark skin. The man simply hadn't been just a hunter. He was one of the five.


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

He didn't know how to begin telling Elena about the five. The events from the night before haunted them both. Elena had made her first kill, and he hadn't been able to stop her in time. The hunter had preoccupied him, making Elijah fear for Elena's life. He hadn't been thinking about the pastor who Elena held in a deadly embrace.

She had been sitting up on her bed for hours. He across from her, staring out her bedroom window. "Elena, he was a hunter... one of the five..." He started without thinking about it. "Last nights events were not your fault..."

Elena blinked back tears and met his gaze as if seeing him there for the first time. "How can you say that? I killed him... I knew him... I had known him since I was a little girl... all because some hunter..."

"Not just some hunter," replied Elijah, cutting her off to ensure his point was across. "The five were a guard blessed by witches with supernatural abilities. They were created with the sole purpose to kill all vampires, starting with my family."

"How did you know them?" Elena asked softly, unsure of where to begin.

"One guard met and fell in love with my sister. Rebekah was completely besotted with the man who believed her to be human at first. They soon married secretly, knowing that Niklaus would never give them his blessing. When Rebekah left us, Niklaus had fallen into a rage and moved to strike. The guard then discovered who we were, what we were. He staked Klaus, but with a dagger. It was enough to bring death to my brother, but as he was a hybrid, he regenerated within hours. Niklaus hunted them down, finding Rebekah already with a dagger in her chest. He then killed her husband and his other guard, and we hadn't heard of the guard since. Until ten years ago. I came across one while visiting a book store in Chicago. The guard who tried to kill you last night. I thought him to be a simple hunter when I first met him, but last night I saw his markings that represent the five upon his skin."

"So this hunter knows that I'm a vampire and he already tried to kill me..."

"He won't be just after you, Elena. He'll be coming for us all."

She swallowed hard. "Maybe it was meant to be this way," Elena said softly. "I should have never..."

"Don't talk like that, Elena," Elijah chimed her, standing up. "I refuse to believe that you should have died, along with Matt Donovan. I refuse to believe that a sixteen year old girl should have died along with her parents in a car accident."

Elena was taken aback at the mention of her parents. They now belonged inside a secret part of herself that she shared with very few others. The people who loved her and raised her, and we're so very dear to her, more than she could have ever told them in life. It was true. She had never stopped thinking that she should have died with her parents. And the accident with Matt had made her believe that all the more. She had truly been ready to die in that moment. And she had, but Elijah's blood had brought her back like she was now.

"What if that girl had wanted to die, Elijah?" Elena asks suddenly, her eyes filled with tears. "Would you have let her?"

"No," Elijah replies without hesitation, staring into her eyes, challenging her to ask why.

"Why?" Elena asks, knowing the answer already, but needing to hear it.

"If a girl that young, who has barely begun to live, is ready to die, it means that she does not yet know her own self worth. To know how meaningful your life truly lives, you need the chance to live in order to discover it," replied Elijah softly, seeing the intensity in Elena's eyes weaken. "I have lived for over a 1000 years, and I have lived many different life times. I longed for death on more than one occasion. I have watched countless friends and family die, and I have been responsible for many of those who lost their lives. But I am happy that I have had this chance to live, Elena. Despite how troublesome, how heartbreaking it's been at times. I want you to have that chance, Elena. To see the world differently than you do now."

He moved and sat on the bed beside her. Elena sat up more, welcoming him. Although their relationship hadn't started from the best of terms, Elena found herself enjoying Elijah's presence in her life, more and more. She hated to think what things will be like when he decides that she doesn't need him anymore and leaves her.

"Thank you," Elena said earnestly after a long silence. "You make me believe that maybe I will survive all of this."

She reached for his hand on instinct and held it in hers. Elijah gave her a searching gaze before pulling gently away from her. She flushed brightly, realizing how inappropriate her action was. They never talked about that night, that night where things had gone in an entirely different direction for them. She had lap danced for him while suckling his blood. Her teeth exposed themselves, her new teeth, upon recalling that moment, and how good it had felt and how good he had tasted. "I'm sorry," Elena gasped, embarrassed immediately. She then used her vampire speed to get to her feet and across the room from him until she felt herself regain control.

Through the mirror, Elena could see Elijah watching her with a steady gaze. Slowly, he moved towards her, standing in behind her. "I don't want to push this, Elena," He whispered softly into her ear, while gently reaching for her hand again, locking it with his. She sighed involuntarily at his touch. She turned, and was so close to those lips of his.

"But what if I want to push this?" She found herself asking while staring at those lips.

"I would say no," Elijah said like a confession, giving her a look of longing. He gently touched her cheek, pushing the hair behind her ear.

"Why?" She pressed softly, daring to brush those lips with hers. He backed away, giving her a hard stare at her challenging him to give in.

"I would say no," He told her again. Having trouble at looking away from her eyes. "Until I know that you're ready for me to say yes." Elijah again allowed her lips to brush with his, sealing his words like a promise.

He then cupped her face with his hands and then moved to leave the room. "I'll see you downstairs," Elijah said, his voice again a mask, hiding his feelings from her.


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

"I can't believe he's gone," whispered April Young to Jeremy Gilbert. The boy looked at the girl he'd come to like very much with complete helplessness. He knew what it was like to suffer a terrible loss, such as the loss of a parent. It was something you eventually learned to live with, but you never quite recovered from the pain.

But this loss was unlike the loss of his own parents because his parents never died by the hand of vampires. Pastor Robert Young died at the hand of his sister, who hadn't been able to turn off the vampire that had taken her over.

Jeremy wanted to comfort his friend, who was his friend and with the chance of something more, but words didn't come. He felt guilty over what Elena had done.

Elena hadn't admitted it to him, but he had heard her talking with Elijah. Slowly, he touched her shoulder as she cried. "I'm so sorry, April."

The girl then blinked and met his gaze. "What did that to him, Jeremy?" She cried into his shirt.

Jeremy was shaking with guilt now and let her go. "I got to get back to class," He said suddenly, hurrying off with his book bag across the school yard. Jeremy didn't look back.

* * *

"Let us go to the funeral with you," said Stefan after Elena had told them what she had done and what Elijah had told her about the five.

Elena frowned, wanting to say yes. She could use their support, but she wasn't with Stefan anymore. And Damon wanted more from her than she could give right now. She didn't want to agree to anything that could make either brother read something more into their going to the service together.

It was a funeral, but it was an event where people were an emotional support to each other. She didn't want an attachment to form from that, more than there was already. "Thank you," Elena said finally. "But I think I might go with Jeremy and Matt, or not go at all..." She finished quietly.

"You weren't to blame for this, Elena," quipped Damon from the chair across from them inside the Salvatore living room. "You're still so new and ..."

"But I am to blame, Damon," snapped Elena, rather angrily. "I killed him..."

"You're not at fault!" Damon shouted back. "When are you going to put the blame where it belongs Elena?"

"What are you talking about?" asked Elena, emotionally exhausted now.

"Elijah gave you his blood," replied Stefan, when Damon simply choose to scowl at Elena in response. "He's been supposedly helping you control your urges... obviously, something isn't working right, Elena."

"He was trying to save me from the hunter," argued Elena right back. "It's not his fault that I killed Pastor Young!" exclaimed the doppelganger, near tears now. She hated that the Salvatore's would so easily blame Elijah for all of her problems. She did this, couldn't they see that?

"If we were looking out for you, it wouldn't have happened, Elena," said Damon.

Elena stood up, having enough of them both. "I'm done with this," She told the Salvatore's. "You won't accept that Elijah is helping me, so we're done," snapped the doppelganger. Elena went to leave and Damon grabbed her arm which caused her day light ring to go flying off of her hand.

Damon stared at her, helpless. Realizing in horror at what he had just done. The ring was off her hand and daylight was bright through the windows.

It took a few seconds, but Elena began to burn. "Get the ring!" cried Damon to his brother, grabbing Elena and forcing her through the house to where it was safe inside the basement. They passed Stefan in a blur and Elena pushed Damon away from her once they were inside the basement. She looked at him wildly, breathlessly. She couldn't believe what just nearly happened.

"I'm sorry, Elena," Damon told her weakly, clearly shaken by what he had done.

"I'm sorry, too," Elena confessed, her voice pained.

Her apology, however, was for a different reason. She just couldn't do this anymore. She began to cry as she watched her skin heal. This wasn't normal. None of this was. Elena spent the rest of the evening wishing that Damon had let her burn.

* * *

"You're back!" noted Elijah, getting up from the living room chair, leaving the book he was reading. Elena blinked, looking at him with helplessness, feeling more drained than ever before.

She had spent the night in the Salvatore basement, afraid and too distraught to leave it's safety. She had cried the night away in Damon's arms as Stefan had watched, unsure of what to do.

"You should feed, Elena," said Elijah when she continued to stare at him blankly. "I'm afraid that yesterdays events have left you too worn."

"They told you, huh?" She replied, her voice flat. "I nearly died because Damon couldn't bare the thought that you were helping me..." Elena then gave a crazy little laugh, full of remorse. Elijah moved fast and caught her as she fell forward. Elena gripped his shoulders as she fought to stand up.

Once she regained her footing she smelled the air. Blood.

Elena then felt her eyes flood over with blood and her teeth exposed themselves. Elijah had no time to restrain her as Elena launched herself towards April Young as she was walking down the stairs. Her teeth found their way home inside the flesh of her neck, and Elena gladly drank. Before Elijah reached her, Elena released April, screaming in agony. She fell away from the girl and looked to the wooden stake that was sticking out of her neck. Elena then looked up the staircase to see her brother standing there holding on to the cross bow that had belonged to Alaric. Jeremy had staked her to save April's life. Elena could only watch Jeremy as the grief began to cripple her. In the distance she could hear Elijah compelling April that she fell and hurt herself, and she should stay at home from school for the day.

"It's okay, Elena," said the Jeremy in her head. But Elena couldn't be sure of what was real anymore. All she knew was that she longed for her mothers comfort and she wanted to turn back time and die on the bridge like she should have.

* * *

It felt as if she was waking up from a nightmare. The taste of the blood haunted her, and the look of horror on her brothers face made Elena want to scream with agony. She was always hurting those she cared about the most.

"Elena," said the warm, familiar voice of Elijah. "It's okay, I'm here," said the soothing, wonderful voice. Elena gladly leaned into his arms, needing his touch.

His warmth was overpowering to her. She grabbed him, pulling him near. He breathed into her hair and she gasped in pleasure. Elena, choosing to take advantage, moved and captured his lips with hers.

"Elena!" said a different voice, soothing all the same, but not Elijah. Elena pulled back as if stunned. Stefan was holding her close, not Elijah. She never felt so bad in all of her life in that moment. "I'm here," said Stefan, taking her into his arms again. "Elijah let me in," Stefan continued. "He told me what happened with April. You want to stay with me for a few days?"

It would feel so good to forget everything for a few days and try to remember how easy it was to let Stefan and Damon take care of things for her. But Stefan meant the offer as something else. Stefan wanted her to go and live with him. "You don't mean for just a few days..." Elena said while shaking her head.

"What would be wrong with that?" Stefan countered softly, cupping her face with his hands. "A change might be nice... and maybe we'll figure out some other things," said Stefan, kissing her again.

Elena broke away, very tempted to just give in to him. "Stefan..." She started, her voice a whisper. "I so want to say yes, but I can't just abandon Jeremy... I have to try to live here. I have to try and live my life how it was..."

Stefan frowned at that. He then took her hands in his, both marvelling how right this felt. "Are you sure you want to do this?" He asked softly, while they both thought of how disastrous the incident with April had gone.

Would Jeremy be able to have any sort of normal life while she lived here too? Elena didn't know the answer to that, but she knew that she had to try, for him.

"Yes, Stefan," said Elena finally.

He then kissed her cheek before releasing her hands. Elena stared at them, slightly hurt to lose his comforting touch. It still felt right with Stefan. No matter how confused her feelings for Damon and Elijah made her be, it always felt right with Stefan. But she couldn't be with him yet while still feeling something for anyone else. It broke her heart just a little to realize it. Stefan seemed to catch on to her feelings and bent down to kiss her again. This time Elena gave into the kiss with no reservations, knowing that it might be the last for them.

She broke away first and cupped his face. "I love you, Stefan," Elena told him, her heart broken. He watched her for a moment, getting the meaning behind her words. She quite didn't get it yet herself, but she loved him, and nothing was going to change that. Even if they couldn't be together right now, or ever again, no matter who else held her heart, Elena would always love him. Stefan gathered her tightly against his chest, holding her as if they would never do this again.

"A girl I knew once told me to hold onto that," Stefan whispered against her hair. "Don't hate me if I can't this time," He finished, before kissing her passionately and vanishing into the night through her open bedroom window.

Elena stared after him at the open window, tears staining her face. It was over this time, and it hurt knowing what she had lost.


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

The break up with Stefan had sent Elena into a shocked depression of sorts. They had already parted, but before had left some hope of continuing their relationship someday, if she ever figured out what she had wanted.

Damon had been stopping by more, trying to lift her mood, and also to stake a claim to her heart now that his brother wanted nothing more to do with her romantically. Elena was touched by his attention, and tempted to give into Damon, finally. But things weren't that easy.

She still felt irresistibly drawn to Elijah. Her feelings for him were stronger than they ever were. Lately, she had been purposely trying to stay out of his way, so she could consider her feelings for Damon with clarity. When she tried just thinking about Damon, Elena couldn't help but think about Elijah.

Would he hate her if she made things more clear about what direction she wanted their relationship to go? And was it right to give chase to Elijah when she was still unclear about Damon? Deep in thought, Elena shot down the stairs to her living room, using her vampire speed. She missed seeing that the front door was opening and fell hard into the arms of the one opening the front door.

"Katerina!" hissed the man who now held Elena hostage in his embrace. Elena fought to break free, but he held her tight. "I have waited four hundred years for this moment." Elena then began to scream when the man gripped her head in his hands and began to twist. Just before she passed out, she caught a glimpse of the mark on his arm. He was one of the five and he was here to kill her.

Just as Elena slumped against the man, he released her upon seeing they were no longer alone. "Marcus, leave her!"

The hunter stared up the stairs in surprise. "Elijah?" He then bowed immediately. "I did not know that the Petrova girl was in your keeping again, my lord."

"Why are you trying to kill her?" pressed Elijah, refusing to give more information away until he knew more. Elijah began moving to Elena on the floor when it was clear the hunter wasn't going to continue hurting her. He lifted her up into his arms with few little movements. Elijah quickly guessed the hunter had managed to break her neck in his effort to snap off her head. Elena would wake soon enough.

"Katerina ran from me four hundred years ago. She had promised herself to me in exchange to free her witch friend. When I freed the witch she ran from me. I am here to collect what is mine."

Elijah scowled darkly at the story. Of course Katerina had wronged many men, and a vampire hunter was apparently one of them. "My friend, if you would take notice of this one, she is new and is not Katerina. And more importantly, this one is mine and belongs to me. This is Elena," said Elijah with frustration still in his voice. "She is a descendant of Katerina Petrova and is her doppelganger. You will not take her, are we clear about that?" Elijah went on, his voice deadly clear that he would not surrender Elena without a fight.

The hunter scowled viciously but nodded in agreement. "I will leave this one be," promised Marcus.

"Good," said Elijah, still an edge to his voice. He then set Elena down on the near by sofa. He cradled her head to a near by pillow. "Now, why are the five after the vampires here, after all this time?"

"It is our mission, Elijah," said the hunter as matter of fact. "You know this!"

The hunter then revealed a large oak stake from his jacket and Elijah sighed. "I never thought it would come to this," Elijah told his friend.

The hunter then went to make a move and before he could drive the stake home, two hands from behind him grasped his neck and broke it cleanly. The hunter then fell dead. Elijah was rather shocked at the identity of his saviour. "Niklaus..."

"I never liked that one anyway," Klaus told his brother in annoyance. "Now Elijah, do I have you to thank for the five following us here?"

"It's just not me, Niklaus. They are here to kill all of us," replied Elijah in annoyance now.

"Oh, is that all then?" said Klaus icily. "Well then, we'll just have to kill them all first."


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11**

"How are you?"

Elena smiled at the warm, familiar voice. She opened her eyes to see that she was inside her bedroom. Elijah was seated at her side. She fought the urge to reach out to him and draw him closer, and was then hit with the memory of the new hunter and the sound of her neck breaking. She then gasped, suddenly enraged. "He killed me!" Elena spat darkly. She felt her face change, showing her vampire features. Instantly, she thirsted for the hunters blood.

"Marcus likes to do that to our kind," spoke Elijah softly, reaching out to her to cup her face. Elena felt herself calm down and she moved into his touch. "It's okay, Elena," Elijah then said, and everything was. She smiled, enjoying his hand against her skin. Elijah then pulled away suddenly as if he had burned by touching her. Something was wrong.

"What is it?" Elena asked, coming down from her high at his touch.

"Why didn't I see it before?" He whispered softly. His eyes refused to hide what he was feeling right now. Elijah looked hurt, and Elena longed to make it better for him.

"What is it, Elijah?" She pressed. Elena reached to touch him and he shot to his feet. She felt the urge to cry instantly. He had never pulled away from her like that before. "Did I do something..." She started, fighting tears.

"No," replied Elijah, finding it hard to look her in the eyes. "Elena..." He then said, meeting her gaze. "I believe that this... whatever this is between us... is caused by a sire bond..."

She blinked, hurt as if he'd slapped her. "What?" Elena shot to her feet as well, suddenly furious. "How can you say that what I feel for you... " She then paused, grabbing his hand. "That what we feel for each other isn't real..." Elena cradled his hand to her chest and moved to kiss him to prove her feelings, but Elijah used his vampire speed to back away from her. "Elena..." He started, pained by the look of hurt upon her face. "I cannot do this... I am so sorry..."

He then shot out of her room and was long gone from the house by the time she reached down stairs. Elena then never felt so lost in her entire life. She then fell to her knees and cried brokenly at Elijah's rejection of her.


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12**

"She hasn't come out of her room for three days," said Jeremy, letting Damon and Stefan into the Gilbert house. "And all I hear is her crying in there. Elijah hasn't been here either."

"Awe, you called me over here for some emotional little lovers spat," complained Damon, hearing the tears coming from Elena from even the first level of the house. "Damon!" snapped Stefan immediately.

"Oh, come on!" replied Damon, still upset. "You got dumped because of whats going on with those two. She just let you think you broke up with her..."

"Hey!" shouted Jeremy, getting in between the Salvatore's. "It's not normal crying, she's doing. It's like she can't stop... If you two really do care about her, you'll help her..."

"And you have no idea where Elijah took off too?" said Stefan, trying to get things back to about the matter at hand.

"I think they had a fight, because Elena started carrying on, right after he left," replied Jeremy, still privately wondering if he'd made a mistake calling the Salvatore's to help his sister.

Stefan seemed surprised to hear that something had made Elijah and Elena have a disagreement, but Damon only scoffed. "I think you should go up first," said Stefan to his brother. "Elena might not want to see me right now."

"Oh, sure," Damon scowled darkly. "Leave all the hard, drama crap to me. No wonder you lost her, brother!" Damon added, his tone like a knife. Damon then moved up the stairs to help Elena, her cries leaving him feeling almost afraid to go up the stairs. They had always been close, somehow keeping a friendship against impossible odds. Odds caused by his own stupidity. But Damon had never been emotional support for Elena. That kind of thing always fell to Stefan.

* * *

He found her laying on her bed, crying tears into her pillows. Her cries were that of a broken child, deep and cracking to the point Damon believed in that moment that Elena could die from grief.

Jeremy was right, this wasn't normal crying. Damon sat beside her on the bed and thought to pat her back, and Elena seemed not to notice that he was even there. "Elena..."

"Damon!" She choked. "He left me..." Elena turned to face Damon, falling into his arms, sobbing. "He left me... I have no reason to go on..."

Damon felt horrified now. This wasn't like Elena at all. She was the strong one, even when she had every right to break down. And Elijah leaving had brought everything down that was Elena into broken pieces.

It was then that Damon had been hit with a memory that he had tried for nearly fifty years to forget.

_`How could you leave me, Damon.." begged the dark haired woman. "I can't do this without you... please..." _

"_Charlotte, be free of me..." Damon insisted, staring at her with great intensity. "You don't want to be with me anymore..." _

"_But I love you, Damon," pleaded Charlotte. The woman fell to her knees, begging him to stay, begging him to let her die. _

"_You're just getting started in life," Damon continued on. "You don't want to be with me, you don't love me anymore." _

"_No," wailed the young female vampire brokenly. She grabbed hold of Damon's arms, never letting go. Damon then pushed her away and snapped a near by wooden chair into pieces, using a leg as a stake to put down the young vampire who had only wanted to love him. _

"I'm going to find Elijah," Damon then told Elena after a long silence. "I promise you, no matter what I have to do, I'll get him back here for you." Damon then kissed the top of Elena's head and held her for a long while afterwards. It was in that moment that Damon realized he actually knew what true love was and he was going to have to let it go. A single tear then fell down his face as he mouthed silently I love you into Elena's hair.


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter 13**

The Mikaelson mansion was almost abandoned in appearance. The family within had all but vanished from Mystic Falls, save a few. Rebekah had fled when Elijah had moved into the Gilbert house, no longer wanting to live with the brother that would gladly kill her if it meant saving himself, and she held a new fear of their older brother Elijah. A brother that had once held her with such affection now was ashamed at the very sight of her.

Klaus still lived within the home, but he was busy with his hybrids, now that Elena was no longer a means to provide him with more. This left Elijah pretty much alone, and it was something that Elijah appreciated greatly. His thoughts were consumed by the events of the past couple of weeks. He did not need his brother around, fighting to dig into those private thoughts.

Elijah still could not believe that Elena had been sired to him. He did not turn her by a first person means. The good doctor had given her his blood and Elena had died with it still inside her system. Elijah had witnessed the sire bond at work, more than once. Niklaus had turned a woman 300 years ago who had reminded him of Tatia. She had been a pretty little brunette who had lived to serve Niklaus' every desire, spoken aloud or not. Elisabeth had paid for her devotion with her life. She eventually had gone insane when Niklaus, jealous over the love Elisabeth had for her family, had killed them all in their sleep when Elisabeth had confessed she had missed them. Like Tatia, Elisabeth had dared to love someone that wasn't Klaus himself.

Elijah knew he had to try to break the sire bond so that Elena could be free thinking again. She would not need to depend on him so much then. He could compel her to ignore it. It would be the easiest way to forget the bond they now shared. Their emotions, heightened around each other, would return back to normal. And perhaps Elena could then choose between the Salvatore's.

The very thought that he could lose her if he broke the bond was enough for Elijah to fight not to hunt down the Salvatore's and rip out their hearts for daring to come between what he really wanted. What he had wanted for a very long time if Elijah wanted to be honest with himself. But there had never been time for them before. Elena had already been deeply wrapped up in her relationships with Damon and Stefan. Now, impossibly, she wanted him. And perhaps more so than Damon and Stefan.

The sire bond, for a vampire, was always based on existing feelings. So wanting what he did now, perhaps it wasn't so wrong to have these feelings anymore.

But he could not take advantage of her like that. He could not begin to think of being with her until she was set free.

"Not very bright, coming here, Damon," said Elijah with slight annoyance, sensing he was no longer alone. He refused to turn away from the view that the window offered, however. Things were easier that way.

"You hurt her," spat the elder Salvatore, obviously livid. "How dare you hurt her like that, knowing she was sired to you..."

"I only just realized it," confessed Elijah softly. "Although, I suspect that I always knew it, on some level," He finished to himself.

"Then why the hell are you hiding here for?" Damon continued accusingly. "She needs you to break the damn bond already. Elena can't handle you walking out on her whenever you feel like it. She's had too many people go away and never come back... "

Elijah finally turned around and considered Damon for a moment. He admired the younger vampire's courage for confronting him and insisting that he follow through with Elena. She really had too many people vanish from her life in the past year. The break up with Stefan had brought about a final blow to what was left of her emotional ties to being human. Elena was content with learning about what life had to offer now. And she had been doing that through the new changes to their relationship.

And he had walked out the door, no promise to return, caught up in his own emotions about Elena being sired to him. The sire bond was rare, but could be broken. There were cases though of it being impossible to break completely. Sometimes the bond between a sire and protege was simply too strong to break.

Could he really stay away from her, if that was the case?

"You're right, Damon," admitted Elijah, feeling guilty. "I should have never left her like I did..." Elijah then moved towards the doors that Damon had entered, leaving Damon rather speechless. "I do believe you know your way out?" mentioned Elijah lastly, not looking back before walking out the doors.

"Stefan, it feels like I have no control..." Elena admitted tearfully, fear obvious in her tone. The tears had died down some, but were no longer coming in racking loud cries. "I don't want to feel this way anymore, Stefan," Elena declared softly. "I don't want to be a vampire..."

Stefan held her, helpless, at arms length. "I wish that I could do that for you, Elena... I would do anything for you if I could..."

Stefan trailed off before admitting that he still loved her. It hung uneasily in the air between them. He couldn't afford to let himself care that much about Elena anymore. Not when yet another had somehow found his way into Elena's confused romantic life. First, his own brother had threatened what he had with Elena. Now an original vampire was fighting for a claim to Elena's heart. Even if Elijah couldn't admit it aloud yet, he had fallen for Elena quite some time ago. Stefan first realized it when Elijah had returned just before Elena had died. He didn't need to come back at that point, but he had, for her. It was always about Elena when it came down to it.

Stefan would love her until the day he died. There was no running from it. But she wouldn't love just him in return. It killed him to know that he would never really have her. Even if they got back together now, there would be always another that she loved too.

"Stefan, I'm so..." She began, but he cut her off. "Lets not do this, Elena. It's over with us... we need to accept it..."

Stefan then rose quickly and left the room, still hearing the odd soft sob escape her. This time the tears were for himself and the fact that she couldn't be what he needed her to be.

* * *

It was in the early hours of the next morning that Elena felt his presence inside of her house. Her body gave a physical shudder, overwhelmed by the feeling. She had missed it, longed for it. His mere presence had always given her a calming affect once she had gotten to know Elijah. Becoming a vampire had magnified that feeling for her.

When she rose from the bed he was at her door, staring back at her with deep concern and something else, something new. He had missed her too. She realized with amazement. But it was left unsaid. They just continued to hold each others gazes, enjoying the moment. Enjoying being in each others presence.

"Elijah..." She started, but was silenced by his finger to her lips.

"I am the one that is sorry here, Elena. I left you, and I had no right too. It was unfair of me to inflict my feelings into my responsibility to you."

She grabbed his hand and held it in hers, forcing him to sit with her on the bed. "Your feelings?" She pressed softly.

"Elena..." began Elijah, trailing off in hesitation. He was undeniably in love with this woman, a woman who was still a girl in many respects. He could not fight the urge to tread slowly, carefully with her. He could not bare it if they pledged themselves to each other, only for Elena to decide that she made the wrong choice by walking away from Stefan and Damon. If he were to ever have her, Elijah knew that he would not be capable of letting that kind of love go again because of another.

Having Tatia admit she was also in love with Niklaus had been unbearable enough to endure. He had always wondered what would have happened between them if Tatia hadn't fallen for his brother as well. It had been the beginning of the end for them. His mother had sealed that relationship with brutal finality for Niklaus and himself both.

No, Elijah could not accept losing yet another woman that he loved. "We cannot be more together... not yet..." He finally voiced the answer to her unspoken question.

"Stefan and I, we... we broke up... we've decided that we're not getting back together," Elena told him without hesitation in her voice. He heard the hurt there, she had still loved Stefan and likely always would, but he heard something else there too. Acceptance. Elena was alright with the ending of her relationship to a boy vampire she had loved for nearly two years, and most importantly, she wanted him to know that. He was secretly pleased knowing that there was one less hand in the game for her heart, but there was still one other.

He said it first. "And Damon, where do things stand for you with him?"

The look in her eyes said everything. It stung to know that Elena wasn't over her feelings for the elder Salvatore, no matter how much he appreciated her honesty. "I see," He said, looking away from her to recover.

"I really don't know, Elijah," Elena said softly, fighting to keep her grip on his hand. "I think apart of me has always cared about Damon. Somewhere, those feelings became stronger. I don't know if that means anything. I mean, we've known each other forever it seems, and nothing has changed with us... I always knew what I felt for Stefan though and that I wanted to be with him, and I know how I feel about you..."

"Elena," gasped Elijah, standing up and turning away from her. "Don't do this..."

"Why not?" She protested, near tears. "I know how I feel about you, Elijah. I may be young, but I know what I feel for you is real. It's always been there beneath the surface, if I really wanted to be honest here. Don't lie, I know you felt it too."

"Elena, I want more than anything to believe that. But you are under my control due to the bond that we share," said Elijah, turning around to face her. "The sire bond for a vampire means that you will do anything at all to please me, even without thinking about your actions and their consequences..."

"No," She insisted. "I love..."

He was upon her again in an instant, silencing her declaration with a passionate kiss. Elena shuddered when he held her close after breaking the kiss, simply enjoying the look of complete love and joy upon her face. "Not yet, Elena... the bond must be broken..." He then choked. Elijah cupped her face when it looked like she was going to wildly protest, and she soon stared back at him with completely broken acceptance.

His decision was made and he was going to set her free. Even at the risk of her feelings for Damon getting in the way for them. If the bond broke, would she only love Damon now? It would so wonderful to know what she really wanted for once. Perhaps it would give her peace.

"Will you still be here?" She asked softy, her heart visibly breaking.

"Always and forever..." Elijah whispered. He kissed her lips softly before letting her go. "Elena, you will close your eyes and listen to me... "

She did so, crying now. "You will open your eyes and stop thinking about me... you will only want to be with the man who you truly love... who you truly want... only you know who that is Elena, and you will take all the time in the world to find that out... all the time that you need... you will go on living your life. You're going to be happy, Elena... even without me." Elijah then kissed the top of her head and laid her down to sleep.

**The End**

**There will be an epilogue. **


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter 14**

_**Epilogue **_

Elena awakened feeling refreshed, more so than she ever had been in a very long time. There was a new sense of peace where pain, heartbreak and confusion had been. Elena knew what she wanted, finally, more than ever before.

"_You want a love that consumes you... you want passion, adventure, and even a little danger..." _Elena smiled wistfully, sweetly at that buried memory now. Damon had known her like an open book, even at the very beginning. "_I want you to get everything that you're looking for..." _And Damon had been so right. She would get everything that she had been looking for in life.

Elena exited the Gilbert house, knowing that Elijah wasn't home. She would seek him out when the time was right, but she had to have another conversation right now. One that should have happened quite awhile ago. If Elena wanted to be honest with herself.

She believed that maybe she couldn't quite let go of Damon before because she had been brokenhearted at the thought of losing someone else that she cared about. Also, a part of her had always felt guilty when it came to Damon and his feelings for her. There were times when it was clear how much he was in love with her. And Elena had felt so bad for not feeling that way about him in return.

When Stefan had left town with Klaus, over a year ago, it had only left Damon and his feelings for her in the crazy world that they all lived in. It was something she could always count on. If Stefan wasn't here, Damon was still here, loving her. Knowing that he cared so much, that he was still here, had made Elena care about him in return. Before it could become something else, Stefan had returned, different, changing the course of their relationship forever.

They had reunited eventually, but only briefly. Their relationship had died when she never came back from that bridge alive. Stefan had tried, he really had, but things had become too different between them.

And Damon had been there, her loyal friend.

But there had also been Elijah, and two years since they first met, her relationship with Damon had never become something more. There had been attraction, friendship, but they never really fell in love. Not really.

And Elena wanted love. She craved it, more than her desire for blood.

Damon had answered the door to the Salvatore house, wordlessly letting her in, seeing the serious look upon her face.

"I wanted you to know first," Elena confessed softly. "I felt that you deserve that much from me. I made my choice..."

At first Damon's face filled with joy, and Elena felt like something more evil than Klaus for coming here and getting his hopes up. He really did love her, and it hurt somewhere inside knowing that she did not, could not ever feel that way back for him. Seeing the look upon her face now then changed something in Damon. He knew it right away, without her saying it. It wasn't him.

"Damon, you are one of the best, most unusual friends that I will ever have. But I love somebody else. I think I have for quite awhile now."

"Baby brother get you back then?" Damon then pressed, the pain still clear in his face, but he was trying to accept it.

"Stefan and I, we won't be getting back together," admitted Elena, feeling confident about this now. "I... there's somebody else, Damon."

He was about to ask, but she silenced him with a hand. "I don't know if he loves me back yet," She then said. This surprised Damon.

"Well, he's a complete dumb ass if he doesn't Elena."

Tears filled her eyes, knowing that maybe their relationship was going to survive Damon knowing that she wanted someone else. "Thank you, Damon," Elena then beamed before walking off into the night.

"You're welcome, Elena," Damon replied only after she was gone.

* * *

Elena returned home to a silent house. Jeremy was out and Elijah seemed not to have returned from since much earlier in the day. She was seated on the stairs when Elijah did return. "Elena," He said simply, surprised to see her there.

Elena smiled at that. How she loved those little things about him. It was so easy to make Elijah happy. All she had to do was awaken every day in order to do that. "You told me to take time to make my choice," She then started, catching Elijah off guard. His eyes were upon her face instantly, looking for indication of what she meant. "I've taken the time, Elijah. I made my choice and I know what I want." She rose to her feet, daring him to challenge her on this. She suspected that he would, he who forever was looking out for her, wanting what was best for her.

"What is it that you want, Elena?" He asked, somewhat huskily. She heard the challenge there in his voice.

"I want to be loved and I want to love in return. I want to be happy, Elijah. And I can have that, but only with you." She reached for him then and Elena felt her heart swell when he allowed her to slip her arms around his neck and draw him to her. "I love you, Elijah," She then whispered softly into his ear. "Do you love me... do you feel the same..."

Elijah pulled her away from him, cupping her face in his hands. "Always, Elena..." He replied, his voice being unable to mask his feelings now. "I have loved you, my sweet Elena, and I will always love you. I can give you always. Is that enough, my love?"

"Yes," Elena said, her voice like a promise. She then rushed into his chest, kissing him soundly, still in disbelief that he wasn't here, pushing her away again. He loved her, and he would, always. Always and forever.

_**The End**_


End file.
